Veolia 2019
Relevant Minutes from The Environment, Transport and Sustainability Meeting 26 November 2019
45.20 Councillor West expressed his disappointment that a letter to the committee from Councillor Osborne had not been accepted as late. Councillor West stated that a number of residents had reported health effects relating to the fire and one had been taken to hospital. Councillor West stated that communication with residents on the night of the fire was not effective and many had to rely upon social media for information and updates that was not suitable in the circumstance. Councillor West added that it had been left to the residents of Nettleton & Dudeney blocks to organise a public meeting and there had been no attempt by the council or Veolia to do so. Councillor West noted that there had been two fires in two years at the site and this raised serious questions about whether the site should be located in Hollingdean, in a residential area.
45.21 On behalf of the Green Group, Councillor West moved a motion to call for an officer report on the matters raised in the deputation.
45.22 Councillor Lloyd formally seconded the motion.
45.23 Councillor Wares stated he believed it would be worth doublechecking that the Waste Transfer site was in the correct location and therefore, would agree to the motion proposed by Councillor West. Councillor Wares stated that review should be undertaken by an independent agent to Veolia and the council and assess the correct procedures and plans were in place and the response effective. Councillor Wares asked when the committee might expect to receive a report.
45.24 The Chair replied that there were other partners involved so it would therefore, take some time to gather the relevant information and submit a report to committee.
45.25 Councillor West stated that whilst he understood there were other partners involved, the matter was an urgent one.
45.26 The Chair replied that she was very aware of the urgency and whilst there was insufficient time to prepare a report to the next meeting, a report would be received by one the meetings following that."
Failure to produce the promised report
See Smell from recycling site troubles neighbours
[Brighton & Hove News 15th July 2025].
Thanks to Cllr Raphael Hill for finally getting a definitive answer from the council about the failure to produce the report into the suitability of the Veolia Hollingdean site called for by the former Environment, Sustainability & Transport (ETS) committee in November 2019!!! The report was called for by the ETS committee in response to a deputation to the council by Round Hill residents. I've spent over five years chasing this up and since February 2025 have been waiting for the council to complete its own investigation into whether or not the promised report was ever produced.
The report promised was in response to not just the stench of food waste from the Waste Transfer Station but also the noise coming from the site as a whole, which includes a Materials Recycling Facility, and the three fires that have occurred over the last six years. It was the combination of these issues together with the location of the Veolia Hollingdean site in a densely-populated residential area, that persuaded the council to call for a report into the suitability of the site. This is a matter of record in committee minutes. The report has never been produced. How does the council propose to deal with the issue?
The council's failure to produce this report raises a broader issue of democratic accountability. How many other reports promised to B&H residents through the system of local government democracy has the council failed to produce? Can we have an independent audit? More specifically, the article makes it seem as though under the new food waste collection scheme, food waste will be transferred directly to the Veolia composting facility just outside of Lewes. In previous communications, Cllr Tim Rowkins is on record saying that the food waste will be first taken to the Veolia Hollingdean site and tipped into containers before being transported to the composting facility near Lewes. Which is it?
This page was last updated by Ted on 16-Jul-2025